Made fast, or maybe too fast?

[partingclouds]

Walking the dock, l noticed a few examples of how not to tie up a boat. I have to share a couple that are more like macrame than anything else.

[redneckrob]

Can't tie a knot tie a lot.

[MicHughV]

oh yeah...I've seen my share of "granny" knots as I've been known to call them

[Bill Seal]

Waaaay back in USCG boot camp, those were known as "Hatchet Hitches" and were good for a few pushups.

[MicHughV]

at the marina, those knots are referred to as " new girlfriend" knots..

[Jono as 2234]

Can relate to that

[Sailingveterinarian]

Always check the cleats after entering a new Marina…most dock hands only wrap lines around them without securing the line.
I constantly try to teach new deckhands the correct way…most are too busy on their phone

[BruceS]

ex-truckie I'd say? Guess not many on here would have handled tarps?

[deblen]

Douglass Hitch for bull rail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__X7qkwifhQ

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by partingclouds

Walking the dock, l noticed a few examples of how not to tie up a boat. I have to share a couple that are more like macrame than anything else.

I'm not to worried about any of these knots. Not pretty but they'd probably hold.

What concerns me more is the use of non-stretch lines (old jib sheets) and particularly when tied from a midship cleat on the boat directly to a dock cleat right adjacent to the middle of the boat. We have a bit of surge here and that type of tying absolutely prevents the boat from rolling in the surge.

And it yanks out cleats, either on the dock or on the boat.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I'm not to worried about any of these knots. Not pretty but they'd probably hold.

What concerns me more is the use of non-stretch lines (old jib sheets) and particularly when tied from a midship cleat on the boat directly to a dock cleat right adjacent to the middle of the boat. We have a bit of surge here and that type of tying absolutely prevents the boat from rolling in the surge.

And it yanks out cleats, either on the dock or on the boat.

Agreed. People think I'm crazy for having no dock lines under 25ft. And I often use multiple 20+ foot spring lines to tie up on a side tie with only a loose bow line and no breast like at the stern. But the boat doesn't jerk around in a wind gust that way, as everything is at low angles and long for plenty of stretch. So it takes up nice and gently.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

Agreed. People think I'm crazy for having no dock lines under 25ft. And I often use multiple 20+ foot spring lines to tie up on a side tie with only a loose bow line and no breast like at the stern. But the boat doesn't jerk around in a wind gust that way, as everything is at low angles and long for plenty of stretch. So it takes up nice and gently.

Yes, exactly

[ChrisJHC]

And don’t forget the cleat hitch divide:
Pretty much everyone in the US insists that you must use a cleat hitch and Europe insists you must never use a cleat hitch*.

Rest of the world about 50:50 I would guess.

*Not a scientific survey!

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by ChrisJHC

And don’t forget the cleat hitch divide:
Pretty much everyone in the US insists that you must use a cleat hitch and Europe insists you must never use a cleat hitch*.

Rest of the world about 50:50 I would guess.

*Not a scientific survey!

What do you call a cleat hitch - the name could mean anything. The cleat hitches I hate are the ones usually tied by dock hands at marinas south of the border. They have some way of trapping the tail end under a round turn which makes it very difficult to release. Figure 8 is the best because it can be released under any amount of tension. If you feel it releases too easily, just make a second locking turn.


We were in a marina where they prohibited more than than the minimum number of turns on a cleat - some people try to use up all the extra line by stacking up many diagonal turns. The marina said it would take too long to release the lines in case of fire and boat had to be moved.

[Djarraluda]

Originally Posted by waterman46

What do you call a cleat hitch - the name could mean anything. The cleat hitches I hate are the ones usually tied by dock hands at marinas south of the border. They have some way of trapping the tail end under a round turn which makes it very difficult to release. Figure 8 is the best because it can be released under any amount of tension. If you feel it releases too easily, just make a second locking turn.


We were in a marina where they prohibited more than than the minimum number of turns on a cleat - some people try to use up all the extra line by stacking up many diagonal turns. The marina said it would take too long to release the lines in case of fire and boat had to be moved.

My training, in Pommyland, was always: 1 full turn, 2 figure 8s then 1 full turn and on dinghys, never use a locking hitch!